Leaving Africa!

Today - in 3 hours - I will be leaving Zambia. The journey has come to an end! Surprisingly there is not much sadness that I feel as I depart from this place. Maybe it's because I know this is not the end. Maybe it's because I know it's only the beginning to what God has planned for my life here. Maybe it's because I know I haven't left anything behind and I'm taking a very big piece of Africa, of Zambia, and of the people with me in my heart.

Ephesians 3:20 - Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generation, for ever and ever! Amen.

The Last Days!

The WHIZ staff + the IWU nursing group on our last days together!

The AMAZING WHIZ staff! They dedicate their lives to changing Africa and they know what it takes! Pray that God will continue to show them favor, especially during difficult financial circumstances. Many of their programs are struggling because the US grants are terminated.

This is the Shampande Church group on the last Sunday!

Volleyball action! We always beat the Zambians! ; )

Birds-eye view from the water tower to watch the sunset!

The sunsets is what I will miss MOST!

Babooing with my babe Derrick at the orphanage! He is my love! And I DON'T WANT TO SAY BYE TO HIM : (

This was our taste of fall in Zambia!

Today is our last days at the WHIZ Guest House. We leave Thursday morning for Livingston and will be flying out on Monday morning to head HOME for our 27 hour travel (too long if you ask me)!

I CANNOT believe it has gone so fast! There are so many different emotions. I'm devastated at the thought of saying good-bye to the Guest House staff! ...at the same time I am excited to go to Livingston for our adventures and can't wait to give my dad a BIG hug at the Indianapolis airport on Tuesday! I told him that the first stop we will make is going to be at Starbucks for a coffee frappuccino!

God and I are going to have a lot to go through together as I return to America. He has CHANGED my heart and my life completely here in Zambia! But I am excited to bring my new self back to the States to empower those around me! I am so thankful that God promises me that his presence is EVERYWHERE I go!

Exodus 33:14 - The Lord replied, "My PRESENCE will go with you, and I will give you rest."

Dreams

The five of us went to an orphanage on Saturday about 45 minutes away! It was an AWESOME experience! The orphanage was beautiful and one of the nicest ones in the area. Despite the accommodating facilities the children were the best part!

This is Thomas! He is very sick : ( I loved spending time with him though!

Seeing these children lying in their wooded, block beds has molded my dreams and visions for my future. My dream is to care for orphans and vulnerable children, wherever that is! I don't know how God is going to use these dreams in my future, but I'm excited to see!

Proverbs 31:8-8 - Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy.

Orphanage

We put on temporary African animal tattoos on all the children in the orphanage.

Derrick!!!! He never leaves my side when I'm at the orphanage! I want to adopt him! : )

My boys at the orphanage!

The orphanage is right down the street from where we are staying and over the past couple of weeks I have spent many hours there playing with the kids and investing in their lives. I have FALLEN IN LOVE with the children there! But I have realized that going to the orphanage makes me feel every emotion you can think of: happy, angry, joyful, frustrated. The children radiate with euphoric smiles and are unaware of their situation that will affect their lives! I feel so thankful that these children are in safe homes and have food to eat, but it devastates me to think that they do not have consistent people in their lives. So many volunteers, including myself, come in and out of the house - it's frustrating to know that they won't have a supportive family through every season of their lives.

But through my brokenness I am learning what it means when God adopted me into his family!

Ephesians 1:4-6 - For he chooses us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will - to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves.

Lusaka!

I haven't seen a city in so long! It was so great to be around an urban setting again!

The crew after dinner! Aren't they cute?! I LOVE THEM!!

After dinner with Kara and Brittani! God has blessed me with great relationships on the trip!

Crazy photo time! Yes, I instigated that one!

The cuties at the Lusaka Community School, sharing their bowl of porridge with the other students. We had an OVERWHELMING welcome by the three hundred students. They were screaming, yelling, and jumping up and down when we arrived! Then they sang to us and performed a skit! It was one of the best moments of my trip to Zambia!

These girls asked to me by best friend! It's fun making new friends every where I go! : )

Working at St. John's Medical Hospital in Lusaka! The nurses were so much fun and extremely friendly!!

Of course we shopped a lot! The homemade crafts from the Zambians were so beautiful! I wanted to take everything back to America!

Standing in front of the Christmas tree before seeing The Christmas Carol. It was 80 degrees and sunny but we have to get into the spirit somehow before we go back to the states during the holidays!

Just waiting! ...we are used to it by now, after 2 months of being in the slow Zambian culture!

The Lord is so good! He has protected us and kept us safe during our travels to Lusaka. We have 2 weeks remaining and 10 more days at the Guest House. It's going to be the HARDEST thing I will ever do the day I have to leave Zambia! My life has completely changed and I'm not ready to face the American culture after seeing so much pain and suffering! But I can get through anything because GOD is my source of power!!!

This week: I will go to the orphanage tomorrow and hopefully some home visits to AIDS patients in the villages later this week. I have lots of papers to write and things to get done as we wrap up the semester!

Praise the Lord for His love endures forever!

3 Weeks Remaining!

We have 3 weeks left, 23 days, and I don't know how many hours! Our time is dwindling! I'm praying that God will give me an extra boost of PASSION and LOVE for the Zambians and the girls on our team!

God has done so much on this trip and MY LIFE IS FOREVER CHANGED! I pray that he will continue to CHANGE my life, even in the last weeks!

This week: Monday I am going on Home-based Care Visits to AIDS patients in the villages. On Tuesday I am going to a near-by orphanage as well as Dr. Jain's clinic. On Wednesday we are going to Lusaka until Sunday evening! We are going to visit some hospitals as well as SHOP!! It's going to be a great week - all to the glory of God!!

Romans 12:11-12 - Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.

Banana Plantation

We traveled to Chabbabboma, a WHIZ trust. It was a great experience! AND IT WAS SO BEAUTIFUL!

Last Time At Zimba!

Monday and Tuesday were my last days working at Zimba Mission Hospital! It's weird to think that things are coming to an end. We have less than 4 weeks left! I can't even believe it! There are days that I'm really ready to come home, but then there are others that I get SO SAD thinking about leaving!

Regardless, the remaining 26 days will be the BEST!! I'm sure of it!

I'm so thankful for what God has done in my life in Zambia! He has definitely ruined my life - in a good way!

Psalm 113:5-8 - Who is like the Lord our God, the One who sits enthroned on high, who stoops down to look on the heavens and the earth? He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the ash heap; he seats them with princes, with the princes of their people. Praise the Lord!

Zambia Independence Day!!

October 24, 1964 -- The day Zambia declared independence from Great Britain. It was such a privilege for us to share this exciting day with the Zambian people! It was so fun!

Our group before going to the Independence Day ceremony!

The Choma District Commissioner at the ceremony!

There was lots of dancing!

This Zambian woman had a dress made from the flag! I had to get a picture!

The audience was made of attentive children!

We were surrounded by hundreds of Zambians as we walked out! Many of the children followed us out and as we waited for our transport they all wanted to touch my hair! It was interesting! So we had to take a picture of the fun we were having!

Kara and I enjoying our Independence Day meal! We had fresh turkey that was killed in front of our eyes a couple of weeks ago! This is real Zambia!

Kids!!

This is me LOVING on Esther, Fred, and Nelly!

Today I did clinical hours at St. Martin, a hospice in Choma. Behind the facility is a school for orphan children where I spent the last half of the morning. Out of 120 children who are enrolled, 95 have HIV/AIDS and all are vulnerable. The program is for children who do not have any where to go in the afternoons, after attending their community school in the mornings. There are also children who are too young to go to school, so they are there for most of the day. Fred, Esther, and Nelly are the little ones I really connected with and immediately fell in love with!

I had so much fun playing with them! They all speak English so it was easy to interact with them and play games. We played hide-and-seek, red rover, had story time, and I taught them "Every Move I Make" (even with the hand motions)!

Like always, it was so hard to leave because I quickly was attached to the children! It was painful to leave because I left a piece of my heart there! ...and I still can't stop thinking about them!

Philippians 4:19 - And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.